A little taste of Ethiopia in downtown Joburg

Andre Burgener has been immersed in all things food since she took over the making of the family's lunch box sandwiches aged eight (her mom could make a mean creme brulee and a staggering souffle, but could never butter the bread all the way to the edges.

DOWNTOWN EATING

THE Maboneng precinct, east of the Johannesburg CBD, is best known as home to the Arts on Main Centre, Fox Street Studios and other hip and happening projects.

Less well known but garnering a following is the Ethiopian eatery Little Addis (not to be confused with Little Addis on Jeppe Street, home to dozens of East African businesses).

Little Addis (aka Kassa's Kitchen) has space for just four tables and offers the best value lunch and dinner for kilometres: feast on the meat, lentil and vegetable wats (stews) with stuffed chilli peppers lying atop injera bread, tartare served with curd cheese, and much more.

The stretchy sour addictive injera is made from rice flour - the teff grain traditionally used is almost impossible for local Ethiopian cooks to get their hands on - but is a fine simulacrum of true injera, a fellow diner well versed in the stuff tells me.

And for vegetarians, this is heaven.

Little Addis is on the street level at Fox Street Studios (280 Fox), corner of Kruger Street, Jeppestown. Open from Tuesday to Sunday, lunch through to supper. Call 082-683-8675.

SWEET TALKING

APPLE & Aubergine Tarte Tatin. No, I'm not doing some wacky, tacky combination for the sake of being different. The combination of eggplant and apple is traditional in French Catalonia, on the Spanish border.

Here eggplant is used in sweet dishes of all manner and means. This tart is truly glorious, and made even better by serving it with thick cream or, best of all, a slice of perfect brie.

For one tart (serves four): 3 green apples (golden delicious or Granny Smith) / 1 large or two small eggplants / 100g butter / 100g sugar / puff pastry large enough to cover 20cm pan / 1 egg yolk / 20cm oven-proof pan.

How: Preheat oven to 190C. Peel and core apples and slice thinly. Peel and slice eggplant, ditto.

Melt ¾ of the butter in the pan, then add the sugar and let it caramelise on medium heat, watching carefully. When sugar is golden brown, remove from heat and arrange slices of eggplant and apple on top.

Dot remaining butter over the top and place in the oven for about 15 minutes. Remove and spoon any syrupy juice from the pan base over the top layer.

Place pastry carefully on top, tucking into the edge. Brush with the yolk (or milk) and bake for 30 minutes or until golden brown. Place a plate over the pan and flip over so that the pastry forms the base.

Don't worry even if some pieces stick to the pan - you just prise them off and re-lay them casually on top.

Eat immediately.